If you're a freelancer, your most valuable asset isn't your equipment; it’s your time. Every hour you spend working but forget to log is money effectively thrown away. But manual timekeeping—relying on memory at the end of the week—is notoriously inaccurate. You lose 10% here and 15% there, and by the end of the month, your billable hours are a fantasy.
The Philosophy: The Precision Contractor
The Employee WorkLog is designed for the high-precision contractor. It moves you from "estimating" to "recording." It acknowledges that not all work is billable, and that travel is a legitimate business expense. By capturing the Begin and End times at the source, you create an irrefutable audit trail for your clients.
The Blueprint: Time & Motion Tracking
The structure is optimized for rapid data entry in the field.
- Zone 1: Time Categorization: By separating BillHrs (Billable Hours) from NonBhrs (Non-billable Hours), you gain a clear view of your utilization rate. This data helps you identify administrative overhead that is eating into your profit.
- Zone 2: Financial Anchors: The Rate field (in USD) allows you to calculate wages instantly. Memento’s Description and Client fields provide the necessary context for invoicing.
- Zone 3: Logistics & Mobility: For contractors who travel, the Start and Stop odometer readings automatically calculate Mileage. This is vital for tax deductions and reimbursement. The Location field adds the final layer of verification.
Usage Scenarios: The Project Pivot
You’re mid-project for a client when another one calls with an emergency. You finish your current task, log the End time, and immediately create a new entry for the second client. You don't have to remember when you switched; you just tap the time. At the end of the week, your report for the first client shows the exact BillHrs and a detailed Description of the work performed, justifying every cent of your invoice.
Power Feature: Calculation for Mileage
Memento’s Calculation field does the math so you don't have to. The simple script #{stop}-#{start} provides the Mileage instantly. This prevents mental fatigue and ensures that your travel logs are consistent and professional.